Curriculum

Core Curriculum

The University of Texas at Dallas requires that all students complete a general education Core Curriculum of 42 semester credit hours that serves as a broad foundation for the undergraduate degree. Through the Texas Core Curriculum, students will gain a foundation of knowledge of human cultures and the physical and natural world, develop principles of personal and social responsibility for living in a diverse world, and advance intellectual and practical skills that are essential for all learning in accordance with Texas Administrative Code, chapter 4, Subchapter B, sections 4.28-4.31. These requirements must be met by every student pursuing a baccalaureate degree at The University of Texas at Dallas, regardless of their major. Specific approved courses must be used to satisfy each Core requirement listed in each category. In accordance with the Texas Education Code, Chapter 61, Subchapter S, a student who successfully completes the entirety of a Core Curriculum at another Texas public institution of higher education before matriculating at UT Dallas may transfer that block of courses to UT Dallas where it will be substituted for the UT Dallas Core Curriculum. If a student does not complete all of the Core Curriculum at another Texas public institution of higher education before matriculating at UT Dallas, the student will receive credit for the portion completed and then may be required to complete additional courses from the UT Dallas Core Curriculum.

010 Communication (6 semester credit hours)

Courses in this category focus on developing ideas and expressing them clearly, considering the effect of the message, fostering understanding, and building the skills needed to communicate persuasively. Courses involve the command of oral, aural, written, and visual literacy skills that enable people to exchange messages appropriate to the subject, occasion, and audience.

Courses:

020 Mathematics (3 semester credit hours)

Courses in this category focus on quantitative literacy in logic, patterns, and relationships. Courses involve the understanding of key mathematical concepts and the application of appropriate quantitative tools to everyday experience.

030 Life and Physical Sciences (6 semester credit hours)

Courses in this category focus on describing, explaining, and predicting natural phenomena using the scientific method. Courses involve the understanding of interactions among natural phenomena and the implications of scientific principles on the physical world and on human experiences.

040 Language, Philosophy and Culture (3 semester credit hours)

Courses in this category focus on how ideas, values, beliefs, and other aspects of culture express and affect human experience. Courses involve the exploration of ideas that foster aesthetic and intellectual creation in order to understand the human condition across cultures.

050 Creative Arts (3 semester credit hours)

Courses in this category focus on the appreciation and analysis of creative artifacts and works of the human imagination. Courses involve the synthesis and interpretation of artistic expression and enable critical, creative, and innovative communication about works of art.

060 American History (6 semester credit hours)

Courses in this category focus on the consideration of past events and ideas relative to the United States, with the option of including Texas History for a portion of this component area. Courses involve the interaction among individuals, communities, states, the nation, and the world, considering how these interactions have contributed to the development of the United States and its global role.

Communication (COM)-to include effective development, interpretation, and expression of ideas through written, oral, and visual communication

Social Responsibility (SR)-to include intercultural competence, knowledge of civic responsibility, and the ability to engage effectively in regional, national, and global communities

Personal Responsibility (PR)-to include the ability to connect choices, actions, and consequences to ethical decision-making will be able to interpret and evaluate the acceptability of historical evidence.

070 Government/Political Science (6 semester credit hours)

Courses in this category focus on consideration of the Constitution of the United States and the constitutions of the states, with special emphasis on that of Texas. Courses involve the analysis of governmental institutions, political behavior, civic engagement, and their political and philosophical foundations.

Courses:

080 Social and Behavioral Sciences (3 semester credit hours)

Courses in this category focus on the application of empirical and scientific methods that contribute to the understanding of what makes us human. Courses involve the exploration of behavior and interactions among individuals, groups, institutions, and events, examining their impact on the individual, society, and culture.